Calvin Harris, Heatstroke | Track Review 🎵

Calvin Harris drops another hot single with ‘Heatstroke,’ featuring a star-studded cast including Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, and Young Thug.

What happens when you pair Calvin Harris with Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams, and Young Thug? Fire. The Scottish DJ is at it again with his latest superstar collaborative single, “Heatstroke.” While “Heatstroke” isn’t quite the second coming, it is a groovy, enjoyable record without question. Not all guest appearances are equal as Young Thug has the biggest role on the single.

Young Thug kicks “Heatstroke” off with an intro, before spitting on his first of two verses.  Naturally, Thug’s verse is a flex-fest, basically built on his sex game.  At the top of the verse he raps:

“Tell me how you feel right now
‘Cause all I wanna do is keep it real right now
I’m tryna beat it up, Beat Pills right now
Athletic in the sheets, I got skills right now.”

He spits more game throughout the verse, before collaborating with Pharrell Williams on the chorus. The lyrics speak for themselves: “Release, let go, and have a good time.” Next, the collaboration switches from Young Thug and Pharrell to Ariana Grande and Pharrell.  Grande has only a small role, but her vocal tone and overall contribution is a nice touch.

“When you do things like this
And you set me free...”

Young Thug reclaims the spotlight on the second verse, opening with a reference to himself (“Jeffery!”).  Like the first verse, he thinks with his pants and his wallet.  Once more, he and Pharrell drop the chorus, followed by Grande and Pharrell.  The only break from the formula is the extended post-chorus (or refrain, take your preference for naming it) and an outro.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Calvin Harris has another potential hit on his hand. Calling “Heatstroke” a gem would be an overstatement, but there’s no shame in the game of this groovy, made-for-summer jam.  The production is exceptional, Young Thug is cocky and confident, while both Williams and Grande accentuate, even with small roles.

Calvin Harris • Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 • Columbia • Release: 6.30.17

Photo Credit: Columbia